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Friday, July 24, 2009

How Do You Blog?

Most of my best blog writing occurs when I'm lying in bed, contemplating whether or not to finally get out of it. My mind wanders to pondering the great education issues of the day. Unfortunately, putting those thoughts to digital text rarely happens.

I have to get better at this, especially since I recently celebrated four years of blogging. You'd think I would have learned by now.

How do you do it?

I marvel at how prolific some bloggers are. Can you share your secrets? Do you record your ideas on your iPhone and then flesh them out later? Do you keep your computer next to your bed so that you can write your ideas as they come to you? Or do you have the self-discipline to sit and write when the ideas flow?

12 comments:

I have been posting for a long time as well and have found that ideas just jump out at me at all times of the day. I tend to use three programs to track my ideas. As you know that I'm into mind mapping in a big way and use MindManager 8 and an add-in called GyroQ to capture my ideas. Wherever I am I can use Control Q to bring up GyroQ and type in my idea. When I'm ready I can then send the idea to my MindManager 8 map. I also use another program called PersonalBrain to do the same. It acts as a visual database for my ideas. When I have logged in my ideas I tend to write when the spirit moves me. I have been doing more interviews and audio interviews which has been fun. Need to be more organized for those- but I'm trying to mix things up. I hope this helps you and thanks for your blog and for your post.

Karen,I have written 10x as many blogs in my head as I have actually written, and written 2x as many as I have actually posted! My best times for “blog thoughts” are, like you, lying in bed, but also, driving down the highway, in the middle of an IEP meeting, or as I try to delicately phrase it, sitting on my Thinking Throne! Of the ones I actually write, usually in Word or some other easily editable medium first, only half get posted because I am a wimp and fear that I may cause controversy of some sort. Why, when only 10 read my blog, I don’t know!? I have recently made my iPod touch my best friend, much to the dismay of my Keurig coffee pot, and use the notes feature to jot down any thoughts I have. I keep it with me 90% of the time. It is my music machine, note taker, PDA, personal organizer, teacher, taskmaster, sleep inducer, workout master, boredom reliever, and all around cool gadget. I do not bring it to the Thinking Throne. Oh, did you know it is a communication device too? JK ;-) I also have paper notes, notebooks, scraps of paper, etc. floating around, and stickies on my desk top. Okay, now that I have written this I realize that I am neither a prolific blogger, or organized in any way, shape, or form, but hopefully this makes you feel better!eileen

I use Windows Live Writer - requires no internet connection and has better editing tools for incorporating pictures. Random thoughts or ideas jump out at me and I jot them down on a draft in Live Writer. Sometimes I contemplate a lot on what I want to say, sometimes I publish quickly. I find it useful when I am interviewing people. I can take notes on Live Writer and edit later. The program uploads my post directly to my blog.

I find that they just come to me at random times throughout the day. Usually I'm able to write them into a draft post, even if it's just a word or two. I also find many ideas from reading my Google Reader. I'll find something that prompts me to write a post.

I seem to write my posts at night, after my wife goes to bed, just seems to be my time to write. Usually it just comes out, but there are posts I have to work at. I find that it's one of the best ways for me to reflect on things in the classroom, and ides that I've tried.

When I am doing something, my brain begins to see how I can relate what I'm doing to teaching and usually an idea is born. Sometimes I get an idea when I am hiking or walking in the park with my hubby. Usually my mind has to be free to wander and that is usually when I am inspired. Another inspiration is usually from reading other people's blogs. I use something they have written as a springboard for my posts. I worried at first about doing that and then realized how thrilled I am when someone uses my post to do the same thing. I feel it sometimes opens up a rich conversation.

Thank you all for sharing what works for you. Seems like we can all relate but some of us are better at developing a system that works. Kelly, I have to look into Windows Live Writer although I have to admit I'm trying to move away from dependence upon Windows products.Eileen, your system more closely resembles what I do. If only, I could use all the free organizational tools effectively to keep myself organized!

My ideas never announce to me when they are going to come; somebody will say something that will get my thoughts flowing, or something I come across will get the thoughts in motion. Not only that, but great blogs as yours help me share with my buildings!

Been thinking about the same thing lately. Have lots of ideas swimming around my head but too many distractions to narrow one down and blog about it.

I've been thinking about using my new Google Voice account to record my thoughts. I will call my number and let it go to voicemail and talk out my ideas - then it gets transcribes to text in my account!!! I'll let you know if it works.

Great comments and ideas from everyone! Since I use the digital camera several times a week to take photos for making Talking Books, documenting progress and making teacher training materials it is easy to see the photo and recall the ideas that arose during the sessions. Although my supervisor is OK with me using any available time to write in a staff blog, I feel weird about that and limit myself to reviewing and editing photos solely for school use during work hours. However, I often upload a few of those photos to my personal OT blog and write entries when I get home. Lazy, though, and don't blog in the summer! Karenwww.OTinPublicSchools.blogspot.com

I have kept a personal blog for years now and would just write as the spirit hit me - which goes in cycles. I keep the blog mostly to keep people up to date on what is happening in mine and my son's life.

I recently started writing a teaching blog - I teach students with mulitiple, complex needs. My idea in starting to write it was to define my ideas and outlines a bit more for myself and I figured if someone could take something from what I put down then more power to them. So right now I'm blogging as I plan things out for my classroom. I'm also posting any materials that I produce using things like Boardmaker in the hopes of clarifying their purpose in an explanation. It is becoming my long-range plan book of sorts.

Hi! :)i would have to say that my way is kinda childish, well i am a teen, but what i do is when im on the computor i think back to what i had gone through over the years. i write about my past and ways to change the future, i dont want my readers to repeat the same mistakes i made.

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